Chapter 1946: Meeting at Spring Rain Lake! (1/2)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

The item was Wang Chong's paper slip.

Wang Chong had been so furtive that even though the other eunuchs had been near them the entire time, they failed to spot it.

Gao Lishi had been holding this paper slip for a very long time, but he had hesitated to make a decision.

”Haaah…”

With a long sigh, Gao Lishi shook his wrist, obliterating the paper slip, letting its crumbs flow through the space between his fingers.

After a long while, Gao Lishi finally spoke into the darkness.

”Little Li, go to the King of Foreign Lands Residence for me.”

……

Some time later, in the King of Foreign Lands Residence, Wang Chong received Eunuch Gao's reply and smiled.

Seventeen li outside the capital, at Spring Rain Lake, the Mountain Water Pavilion…

The vast surface of the lake was as smooth and clear as a mirror. Green lotus leaves studded the surface like stars, and the red flowers blooming from them and swaying in the wind were like elegant palace ladies.

As the gentle winds blew, the green lotuses bobbed on the surface, the red flowers dancing with them.

In the center of the lake, an ancient, gilded pavilion proudly stood.

The pavilion was connected to the shore by means of a long corridor that appeared like a dragon from a distance.

This was a famous scenic spot outside the capital. In another few months, during Buddha's Birthday, this place would be packed with tourists. Countless tourists in the capital would take lotus lanterns and release them upstream, and these lanterns would eventually float down to Spring Rain Lake.

The sight of those tens of thousands of lanterns floating down to this lake was truly grandiose.

But as this season had yet to arrive, Spring Rain Lake was almost deserted.

Yet at this moment, the pavilion at the center of the lake was welcoming its two most important guests.

An ancient table carried a jar of yellow wine, two tea cups, and several small dishes. Wang Chong sat on one side of the table and smiled across at Eunuch Gao.

Gao Lishi was the eunuch director of the inner court and the Sage Emperor's trusted aide. He could enjoy all the most rare and exotic foods in the world, so Wang Chong should have laid out for him a banquet of rare delicacies.

But Wang Chong knew that Eunuch Gao enjoyed the yellow rice wine and appetizers enjoyed by ordinary people.

When people of high status like Eunuch Gao were alone, they would often yearn for the life of an ordinary person.

As for Spring Rain Lake, when Eunuch Gao found himself with some rare free time, he liked to visit this place.

Surprisingly, Gao Lishi was a Buddhist, and each year, on the day of Buddha's Birthday, he would leave the palace to preside over the lighting of the candles that took place here.

”It's been oppressively tense in the Imperial Palace as of late. The Mountain Water Pavilion at Spring Rain Lake truly relaxes the mind.”

Gao Lishi closed his eyes, taking in the aroma of the lotuses and allowing the breeze to caress his face.

”Then Sir Eunuch should take a longer stroll around,” Wang Chong said.

Gao Lishi smiled and put this topic aside. He quickly turned to the jar of yellow wine on the table.

”King of Foreign Lands, thank you for your consideration!”

Gao Lishi smirked, and Wang Chong merely smiled in reply.

An influential figure like Gao Lishi would receive many gifts from high officials and nobles, all of them hoping that he would put in a good word with the Sage Emperor so that they could get a high position. Even if they couldn't, getting acquainted with someone as influential as Gao Lishi was certain to have benefits in the future.

Gao Lishi was called the Maitreya Buddha of the Great Tang, and he never refused these gifts. But afterward, he would put them on a shelf and forget about them or turn them over to the Imperial Household Department.

As time passed and the officials learned what became of their gifts, they understood that Gao Lishi was an upright and incorruptible figure, so they stopped sending him gifts.

Very few people knew that Gao Lishi wasn't someone who disliked gifts. It was just that those people had not given Gao Lishi any gifts he liked.

Whoosh!

As Gao Lishi spoke, he took the wine jar and one of the small cups, and poured himself a cup. He brought the cup to his lips and took a long sip. His eyes squinted, and an intoxicated look appeared on his face, completely changing his demeanor.

It was as if it was not plain yellow wine in the cup, but nectar from the heavens.

”Good wine! Good food!”

After drinking the yellow wine, he used his chopsticks to take some braised beef. His expression was satisfied and content, not at all like the revered eunuch director of the inner court and more like a regular person.