Chapter 147: No, I Have to Leave

The young gatekeeper dared not slacken and hurried toward the Mechanical Workshop. By the time he reached the room where Master Wuyou was attending to his work, he was slightly out of breath. Without hesitation, he pushed the door open and called out, “Master, come out quickly! Prince Xian is here.”

Startled by the sudden intrusion, Master Wuyou’s hand trembled as he was sketching a design, causing a drop of ink to fall onto the blueprint. The breeze from outside then caused the ink to spread instantly, ruining the carefully drawn plans.

Master Wuyou’s anger surged like a volcano ready to erupt. Although the design was not difficult, it was the product of his efforts since early morning, and he had even skipped breakfast to focus on it. Now, his own workshop’s gatekeeper had indirectly destroyed his work—how could he not be furious?

He glared sharply at the young gatekeeper. “Who told you to come in? Haven’t I said no interruptions while I’m working? Are you trying to get yourself fired?”

The young gatekeeper shrank back, clearly intimidated by Master Wuyou’s outburst. Yet, summoning some courage, he stepped forward and said, “Master, I was ordered by none other than you to come in.”

Master Wuyou was momentarily taken aback, then let out a bitter laugh, “How peculiar. What kind of nonsense is that? I’ve been inside this room the whole time. Do you think I have some kind of cloning magic to send a double to call you in?”

The gatekeeper replied calmly, “Master once said no disturbances during work, but there are exceptions—for example, when a few people come to see you, you must be informed immediately.”

Master Wuyou frowned. “Who exactly came? I didn’t catch that just now.” He hadn’t heard clearly earlier because he was deeply focused on his drawing; otherwise, he wouldn’t have lost his temper.

“It was Prince Xian,” the gatekeeper said. “He brought a woman with him, and she seemed to be in a rather sour mood.” Though the gatekeeper had only glanced briefly, he remembered well—working in the Mechanical Workshop meant no one was ordinary.

Prince Baili Xian had come before, bringing along Su, the prince of Western Wei, who had disguised himself as a woman. Even Master Wuyou had been fooled. Could it be they had returned again?

“How did the woman behave?” Master Wuyou asked, though he didn’t understand why.

The gatekeeper thought carefully, “She seemed different from ordinary women, unafraid and unshy, as if she were at home, looking around everywhere.”

The more he listened, the more Master Wuyou thought the description matched Su Yun Yun. Could it be that Prince Baili Xian and Su Yun Yun had come to visit the workshop once more? The last time, they had all gotten hopelessly drunk, and he’d suffered a headache all day. The thought of drinking with them again made him shudder. No, he had to get out of there!

With this in mind, Master Wuyou headed for the door, thinking to himself that he’d find a place to hide before Prince Baili Xian arrived.

The young gatekeeper watched him leave, assuming he was going to greet the prince. To his surprise, Master Wuyou walked straight out without looking back and strode in the opposite direction. Just as the gatekeeper was about to warn him he was heading the wrong way, a voice rang out from outside:

“Wuyou, where are you rushing off to?”

Damn it, the prince had arrived so quickly. If only he hadn’t wasted precious escape time talking nonsense with the gatekeeper.

Feeling two blazing gazes from behind, Master Wuyou’s lips twitched. His legs stopped abruptly, and with great reluctance, he turned around and forced a smile. “I’m not rushing to see you—I just wanted to wash my face first. We can’t be rude when we meet, can we?”

Prince Baili Xian sneered sarcastically, “Oh? I never realized you cared so much about appearances, Wuyou. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention before.”

Wuyou turned and saw not only Prince Baili Xian but also Liu Ling’er standing behind him. Somehow, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Baili Xian’s face darkened. “What do you mean by ‘you two’? Do you think I bring others along with me everywhere I go?” He was already annoyed, and Wuyou’s ambiguous words made it sound as if he were a man with many mistresses. Baili Xian glared at him as if ready to tear down the entire workshop if Wuyou didn’t explain himself.

Master Wuyou scratched his head, puzzled by the prince’s explosive temper. “Last time, you brought Su here yourself. How was I wrong to say that?”

“Cough, that was an accident. You wouldn’t want us standing around outside talking all the time, would you?” Baili Xian was deeply embarrassed by their drunken antics the last time. If Liu Ling’er found out, she’d never stop teasing him.

Wuyou gestured to the gatekeeper who had yet to leave. “Go prepare some tea and snacks.”

After sending away the unnecessary people, Wuyou got straight to the point: “No one comes to the Three Treasures Hall without a reason. Prince Xian, what brings you here today?”

“It’s not me who has business with you,” Baili Xian said, gesturing to Liu Ling’er. “It’s Ling’er who has something to ask. You should speak with her.”

Wuyou looked surprised. “Princess Consort Xian, may I ask what you require of me?”

“It’s nothing major,” Liu Ling’er said plainly. “I want to renovate a pavilion and would like to select a few skilled architects from under your command.”

At the mention of architecture, Wuyou’s eyes lit up. “Do you have any design plans for the pavilion?”

Liu Ling’er shook her head. “Not yet. But give me a day, and I can produce a design no worse than the ones on this table.”

At first, Wuyou thought of sending some designers from the workshop to observe the pavilion Liu Ling’er mentioned. But when she said she could draw the design within a day and guaranteed it would be no worse than his own, Wuyou immediately doubted her.

Not to brag, but he had yet to see anyone surpass his skill in renovation.

Princess Consort Xian is quite confident. Wuyou declared, “If your design truly rivals mine, I promise to take full responsibility for the renovation of your pavilion.”

“Look at a pavilion—the front hall is crucial. I haven’t designed the rest yet, but I can draw the front hall in fifteen minutes,” Liu Ling’er said. Seeing is believing. To convince Wuyou, she picked up a brush, took a sheet of paper, and began to sketch right before their eyes.

The brush danced on the white paper, the strokes flowing continuously without pause. Her entire demeanor radiated confidence, and she truly impressed Master Wuyou.