Part 2: The Princess's Standards
"To have such a brilliant brother is truly a misfortune for a sister. Every man in the world seems dull by comparison. If I continue like this day after day, won't I become an old spinster incapable of being close to men? Regardless, I must hurry and find a remarkable young lord…"
"Otherwise, I really might be forced to marry Cheng Mubai…"
The thought made Mont Angelina bury her head deep into two large feather pillows.
"I'm not asking for much: someone stronger than me, not less intelligent than my brother, with a clean and sharp appearance, unwilling to yield to injustice, kind to the weak, not constrained by money, but not wasteful either, and also possesses a sense of cleanliness. If those conditions are met, I can pretend not to notice other flaws…"
Xiaochan, the maid who was helping the Princess settle in, aptly landed a cutting remark.
"That sounds ninety percent like Lord Li."
Mont Angelina glared fiercely at Xiaochan, then buried her head back into the pillow.
Mont Angelina had brought Jade back to the Raven Lord's residence, so Li Junce and Jade had now been reunited. However, Mont Angelina had not formally met with Li Junce yet. Although she was aware of her brother's intent to bring her closer to Li Junce, as a young lady, she maintained a certain reserve.
In contrast to Li Junce, Cheng Mubai, the Black Sheep Lord, was a man with an extremely poor reputation outside his court.
The Black Sheep Lord was a man of artistic temperament.
However, a temperament did not mean he possessed artistic talent. Yet, the Black Sheep Lord's vision was clearly detached from this fact; he desperately tried to believe he did possess artistic talent.
He not only wrote poetry and opera but also designed gardens, played the flute, and painted portraits of ladies and landscapes. Yet, none of his works were truly accomplished. In every domain, his only strength was in criticizing the talents of others.
Through his role as a "critic," he contentedly believed he held the secrets of art and was the darling of the Goddess of Art.
Unfortunately, he lacked the generosity to invest in art.
The Black Sheep Lord's greatest passion seemed to be in how to wither the superior talents of others and how to prune the branches of their skill. It was rumored that he had even constructed a dubious labyrinth beneath his vast residence in the Imperial Capital for riotous and decadent pleasure, but this remained only a rumor.
Part 3: Wine and Confession
After settling his child to sleep, Li Junce accepted the invitation of his friend, Mont Mentiel the Fox. The two shared a bottle of honey wine and a dish of white cheese by the fireplace, engaging in a heart-to-heart talk.
"It seems my sister and your son are getting along very well!"
"She has truly gone to too much trouble for my sake."
"My sister is still a child herself. I should say she found a good friend. Otherwise, her true purpose is something else entirely. If that's the case, what exactly is Mont Angelina thinking…"
"Could she really have taken a liking to you?" Mont Mentiel brought the topic back to the marriage proposal. Li Junce once again demonstrated his self-control, refusing to take the bait.
Li Junce was acutely aware of his current position: a rare commodity. The father of the first-in-line heir to the Tiger Wing Lordship, and a single man. His marriage could not be easily promised.
Changing the subject, Mont Mentiel asked another question. "By the way, what do you think of the Dipper Aureus Duke?"
It was this question, rather, that Mont Mentiel most wanted an answer to. Li Junce's tone did not change, but a dark glint flashed in his dark eyes.
He replied briefly: "He seems somewhat different from before."
Mont Mentiel nodded, expressing his own thoughts with a sigh. "Times are changing, Li Junce. Naturally, people within those times have to change with them!"
"It would be better if it were a change for the good."
The two men simultaneously turned their gaze toward the massive brick-built hearth. In the depths of their four eyes, two different colors, the leaping flames and the burning logs were reflected. Perhaps the river of chaos was still accelerating toward the waterfall of a tragic end at this very moment.
"Are you not going back to the Tiger Wing Duchy?" Mont Mentiel's question led Li Junce into contemplation.
"Even if I went back now, there's no place for me to stay. And the de facto Lord, Xi Min, might not welcome us back."
"No, that's not what I meant. I'm asking if you plan to return in triumph as the Duke of Tiger Wing?"
"My Lord of Raven, you overestimate me. I am merely a man who couldn't even fulfill the role of Chancellor of the Tiger Wing Duchy."
"Is that not just temporary exhaustion on your part?"
"No. Thinking back now, perhaps that is precisely the core of the problem." Li Junce spoke his true thoughts for the first time. "A person in charge of governance must absolutely not abandon their responsible position due to temporary exhaustion. Therefore, by abandoning my initial position, I have effectively disqualified myself from holding political office."
"In that regard, I do not believe I am superior to Xi Min, who usurped the Tiger Wing Duchy."
"Xi Min believed that if he gave up, not only his woman and status but also his life would be taken by Lord Wu Lie. So Xi Min must believe that the measure he took was self-defense born of dire necessity."
"And that is why I have not actively sought revenge for the Lord's death. Xi Min was forced. The fault lies with the Tiger Wing Lord. What standing do I have to punish a subject who committed regicide for self-defense?"
Mont Mentiel thought to himself that if the Dipper Aureus Duke heard this, he would probably burst into tears on the spot.
"In a few days, Cheng Mubai is hosting a dinner and has invited my sister. It is inconvenient for me to attend. I hope you can go discreetly to ensure my sister's safety."
"The one in danger should be Cheng Mubai. The one I should be protecting is that born artistic idiot."
"No. I, conversely, hope he will no longer have the chance to poison the Empire's art."
"Forever." Mont Mentiel raised his wine cup, toasted his dear friend, and then drank it all in one gulp alone.