Chapter 101: The King's Bamboo Shoot

The crowd stared blankly at the whiteboard, devoid of any joy. Jun Tao was not worried about Luo Gan becoming a rival; rather, she suspected there was some ulterior motive behind his sudden, solo entry into the competition.

Liu Buwen pointed at Luo Gan’s name on the board and said, “Brother Luo, do you think there’s some intention behind this? It’s too unexpected.”

“What should we do? Brother A Luo, the gate is still open. Should we run? Who knows what might happen once you step on stage.”

Luo Gan’s heart trembled as various possibilities flashed through his mind. Could it be that Li Shimin harbored ill intentions? After all, this was not a law-abiding society like today; emperors could dispose of people without reason. If he recklessly went on stage and drew attention, he might be dragged away through the Meridian Gate in an instant, and the prize money would vanish without a trace.

Naturally, the smarter one was, the more worries arose. Just moments ago, he had been smug over his mud-streaked bamboo pole dance, but now he was trapped in a quagmire, unable to extricate himself.

He frantically searched his vision for a countermeasure.

Suddenly, a pop-up appeared: “The search function is not yet available. Please recharge 100 ingots to unlock.”

Luo Gan cursed, “At a time like this! You want me to be a pay-to-win player? Have you no conscience?” But then he thought, “Even if I wanted to pay, there’s no way to top up!”

Helpless, he searched for solutions again, and sure enough, a help option emerged, offering “a free set of battle attire.”

Unbelievable. Since playing this heart-wrenching, soul-draining game, the system had rarely offered any aid. Yet at this critical moment, it finally answered the call—“When injustice is seen, one must roar! Strike when the time is right!” Luo Gan felt satisfied, as if the outcome was already secured and he was confident.

“You don’t look nervous at all. Could it be that our legendary Luo has a plan?”

Luo Gan smiled faintly, his lips curling lightly.

Li Shimin picked up a piece of winter bamboo shoot from his plate, took a small bite, then ordered it removed. Sitting below, Zhangsun Wuji looked on with suspicion.

“Your Majesty often says agriculture is the foundation of the nation. Now that food is scarce, shouldn’t you encourage frugality?”

Li Shimin frowned, ordered the bamboo shoot returned, and smiled politely at Zhangsun Wuji.

“You speak wisely, uncle. I had no intention to waste.”

Zhangsun Wuji bowed his head slightly and said, “I only remind Your Majesty that while informally it may be acceptable, in public settings it’s best to maintain decorum.”

“Alas, with Wei Zheng before me and my uncle here now, ruling the Tang Dynasty isn’t as carefree as before!”

“There are indeed differences. It is natural for Your Majesty to feel uneasy. Perhaps this is not the fate you chose, but fate chose you to lead the Tang, bring peace to the people, and guard the realm. This is truly a great blessing.”

“Enough, uncle. Today, let us not speak of the people’s plight. Let’s watch the folk customs—see how amusing that woman’s dance is!”

Li Shimin laughed to himself. A few ministers nearby began to join in, some chuckling awkwardly, others laughing heartily, some even slapping their thighs in exaggerated amusement. Many didn’t understand what was happening but joined the laughter nonetheless. Soon, the viewing platform was filled with an inexplicable burst of laughter.

Zhangsun Wuji shrugged and refrained from making a fuss to avoid embarrassment. Seeing this, Li Shimin conceived a plan.

“Uncle, my appetite isn’t good, and winter bamboo shoots are rare. It would be a pity to waste them. So, I’ll swallow half of this shoot whole,” Li Shimin said, swallowing the half-eaten bamboo shoot without chewing, the sound of gulping echoing as it reached his stomach, “and I’ll give the remaining few to you.”

The ministers praised the emperor’s wisdom. Zhangsun Wuji could hardly refuse this imperial grace and accepted with a smile. He looked at the remaining bamboo shoots, biting into one, eyes widening in surprise—it was bitter bamboo shoot. His expression darkened slightly as he shook his head.

Li Shimin grinned mischievously, tilting his head toward Zhangsun Wuji and glanced at the two remaining bitter shoots on the plate, shaking his head sympathetically.

“Uncle, if you were to resume your position as Right Prime Minister, you wouldn’t have to eat this bitterness.”

Not long ago, at Zhangsun Wuji’s insistence, Li Shimin had agreed to relieve him of the Right Prime Minister post. In truth, Zhangsun Wuji was still Li Shimin’s preferred choice. Du Ruhui was wise and decisive but physically weak, unsuitable for heavy responsibilities. Fang Xuanling was busy with governance and reforms, better suited elsewhere.

But Zhangsun Wuji seemed overwhelmed by the burdens, often at odds with other ministers, causing him great distress. After much thought, he resigned from the post. The one who suffered most was Li Shimin, who longed for his trusted uncle to take charge of the officials.

Zhangsun Wuji lightly raised an eyebrow and swallowed two bitter shoots at once. Though it took effort to chew, he showed no displeasure, instead eating with a cheerful demeanor.

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace.”

Li Shimin sighed softly and gave up. Between sovereign and subject, this was as far as words could go. If he were still Prince Qin, he would have fewer worries. Yet now, although the empire was his, it felt beyond his grasp.

He turned his attention back to the dance floor, waiting for a performance that might ease his mind.

In a secluded corner, Luo Gan confirmed no one was around and began retrieving his game equipment. The signal was weak—three bars down to one—slowing transmission speed.

Every time he needed to use the system, there were so many issues! Could he ever have a smooth gaming experience? Watching the progress bar creep upward, he grew anxious.

The drumbeats from the dance floor continued relentlessly, like thunder urging Luo Gan to hurry back. He wondered if listening to Xiao Zhi’s advice might have been better. He had never performed solo before, not even at company year-end truth-or-dare games, where he only dared choose truth. Imagining going on stage alone, with no companions nearby, his heart trembled.

The progress bar inched upward slowly. After three drumbeats, the external performance seemed to be in full swing.

Dai Zhi and Jun Tao were drawn to compete in adjacent sessions. Xiao Zhi and Yan Shan couldn’t help but worry for Jun Tao. The competition rules had suddenly changed; they could no longer perform as they had in the first round. They had to come up with entirely new acts.

Xiao Zhi, like an ant on a hot pan, paced anxiously. “What do we do now? This is unexpected.”

Yan Shan said, “Don’t panic, Brother Xiao Zhi. Miss Jun Tao will surely find a way, right?”

Jun Tao thought briefly and nodded. “Of course. How could a courtesan become the queen of the brothel without some secret skill?”

Though she spoke confidently, everyone’s doubts remained fixed on Luo Gan.

In a nearby alley, only as Jun Tao’s competition approached did a piece of clothing appear in Luo Gan’s vision. He stared dumbfounded, unsure of what to do next.